Google Draw

wazmac QuickStart Getting Started with Google Docs - Drawings Background Google provides an ‘office’ suite of software with a difference you don’t install it on your computer. All the software is accessed online, and your documents are stored ‘in the cloud’. This model provides access to applications and documents from desktop computers, laptop computers and mobile devices such as iPads, all with different operating systems, regardless of your location. So long as you have internet access! The basic functionality of the various Google applications - Documents, Slides, Sheets and Drawings - is much the same as other equivalent software. This document looks at some of the basic features of Google Drawings. Getting Connected This document assumes that you are already familiar with the basics of Google Drive, as detailed in a previous document in this series. Google Drive is free to anyone who has a Google account. It is also a part of the Google Apps for Education suite of applications. If you do not already have a Google account go to https://accounts.google.com/ SignUp and create a new (free) account. Software You create a Google Drawing using a web browser. Google’s preferred web browser is Google Chrome, though other browsers seem to function quite happily with Google Apps too. If you use an iPad you can install the Google Drive app to view Drawings, though (at this time) it is not possible to edit drawings on an iPad. The examples shown in this document are created using a free Google account, however the processes described are similar with Google Apps. • More K-12 technology and planning resources are available at wazmac.com

1. Create a Drawing 1.1.

Open a web browser and go to http://drive.google.com/

1.2.

Sign in to your Google account.

You may not need to do this if you are using a ‘corporate‘ Google Apps account, and you are connecting through a corporate portal.

1.3.

You will now see your Home folder area. You may be prompted to Download Google Drive, which will install a small utility on your computer to sync files between your Google Drive folder and your computer.

You should only do this if you are the only person who uses the computer, as this will establish a permanent sync to your Google Drive folder.

wazmac QuickStart: Getting Started with Google Drawings !

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1.4.

Click on the Create button on the left of the screen and choose Drawing.

1.5.

You will be presented with a blank canvas.

1.6.

Click on the Untitled drawing heading at the top left of the screen, and give the drawing a name. Click the OK button to save the name change.


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2. Explore your toolbox The Google Drawing environment provides a wide range of shape creation tools. Click on the Line and Shape tools to gain an overview of the tools available. Generally these tools’ icons are self-explanatory.

2.1.

Line Tools

2.2.

Shape Tools

The Arrow, Callout, and Equation menus provide still more options.


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3. Making a Drawing We will draw a small yacht to explore some of the options available... 3.1.

Click on Shapes > Trapezoid.

3.2.

Click and drag to draw a Trapezoid.

3.3.

The angle of the sides of the trapezoid can be adjusted by clicking and dragging the small yellow handle in the top left corner of the shape.


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3.4.

With your newly-drawn trapezoid selected (this will display the small white handles at the corners), click on the Arrange menu > Rotate > Flip vertically.

3.5.

The hull of your yacht will now be the right way up!


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3.6.

Use the Line tool to draw a mast.

3.7.

With a line (ie, your mast) selected, a number of other options become available in the toolbar.

3.8.

From the menus above, choose a suitable colour and line thickness for the mast of your yacht.


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3.9.

Now, to add some sails to our yacht, select the Right Triangle shape from the Shapes menu.

3.10.

Add two sails, flipping one of the Right Triangle shapes horizontally. (Alternatively, you can Duplicate the first sail you draw - Edit > Duplicate rather than drawing a new sail.)

With a shape selected, there are some additional options available in the toolbar.


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4. Other options 4.1.

Word Art We can add not only plain text, but also stylised text to our drawing.

4.2.

Rotating Objects All objects, including text and word art, can be rotated using the handle protruding from the top of the object.


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5. Adding images to your Drawing As discussed in a previous document in this series about Google Apps, you cannot copy and paste an image directly into a Google Drawing, since these drawings are really web pages. Images stored on your computer must be uploaded to the presentation. 5.1.

Click on the Insert menu, and choose Image....

5.2.

Drag an image from your computer to the uploading window.

5.3.

The chosen image will now be inserted onto your canvas. Drag the image to a suitable location within your drawing.


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5.4.

You can also insert images directly from your Picasa web albums

You can pre-prepare Picasaweb albums with images for a particular project. 5.5.

The Insert > Image > Search option will take you directly to the Google search facility - though you must keep copyright provisions in mind!

6. Saving a drawing to your local hard disk 6.1.

Click on the File menu, then choose Download as. You can download your drawing as a PDF, SVG, PNG, or JPG file.


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7. Sharing your drawing One of the advantages of using an online drawing system is that you can make drawings available to others. This is particularly useful for collaborative projects, or for online classroom resources. Another document in this series provides more detail about sharing Google Docs.

7.1.

7.2.

Collaborating 7.1.1.

With the drawing open, click on the Share button at the top right of the window.

7.1.2.

Add the email addresses of other Google users with whom you wish to collaborate on the drawing. You can add people from your Google Contacts.

7.1.3.

Using the Can edit pop-up menu to the right of the email address field, you can choose what level of access those people have to the shared drawing. You can also assign rights individually after you have shared the document.

Sharing with a wider audience 7.2.1. Rather than simply sharing with collaborators, you can publish your drawing directly to the web, or email it to colleagues. Go to the File menu and choose Publish to the web....


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7.2.2. You will be asked to confirm your actions.

7.2.3. You will now be presented with a window displaying a direct link address, an embed code, and an image size option.

Note: You can view your Google drawing on an iPad using the web sharing option, or using the Drive app. It is currently not possible to edit a Google drawing on an iPad.


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